A History of Assam c11.8

c11.8

This branch grew and flourished exceedingly, and produced a giant gourd, inside of which were men and every kind of animal, bird, and fish, and every kind of plant. The living creatures tried hard to get out, and at length their cries and struggles reached the ears of Lengdon or Indra,* who sent a messenger named Pānthoi to ascertain the cause of the uproar. Pānthoi went and listened, and heard the cries of men, elephants, cattle, and other animals from inside the gourd. He returned and reported this to Indra, who sent his eldest son Āiphālān to break open the gourd by means of a flash of lightning. Āiphālān descended to earth to carry out his father's instructions. He at first directed his shaft towards the part of the gourd where the men were, but they entreated him not to destroy them and implored him to aim elsewhere, saying that, if they were allowed to live and to escape from the gourd, they would settle down and cultivate. Āiphālān then aimed at the place where the cattle were, but they likewise begged him to spare them, saying that they would be required by the men for ploughing.